U.S. Navy Funds $73.8M Radio Frequency Decoys to Protect Fighters From Advanced Missiles.

The U.S. Navy has awarded a $73.8 million contract modification to BAE Systems to procure 1,248 radio frequency countermeasures for Navy, Air Force, and allied fighter aircraft. The investment strengthens aircraft survivability against modern radar-guided missile threats in contested airspace.

The U.S. Navy is expanding its fighter self-protection inventory with a $73,798,992 contract modification (P00006) awarded by Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc. to procure 1,248 radio frequency countermeasures for U.S. and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) fighter aircraft. The work will be carried out across multiple U.S. sites including Nashua, New Hampshire; Elkton, Maryland; and several locations in California, with additional work spread across other facilities nationwide, and is scheduled to run through February 2029. Funding draws from FY2025 and FY2026 Navy and Marine Corps procurement of ammunition accounts, FY2026 Air Force aircraft procurement funds, and a major FMS contribution under a sole-source action managed from Patuxent River, Maryland.
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BAE Systems radio frequency countermeasures protect fighter aircraft by deploying a towed decoy that replicates and exaggerates the aircraft’s radar signature, misleading radar-guided missile seekers during the final engagement phase and significantly improving survivability against modern, networked air defense systems (Picture source: BAE Systems).

In operational terms, this contract represents a large-scale investment in aircraft survivability rather than offensive firepower. Radio frequency countermeasures are designed to defeat radar-guided threats at the most dangerous phase of an engagement, after a missile has already been launched and is actively tracking its target. For U.S. Navy carrier air wings expected to operate inside heavily defended anti-access and area-denial environments, these systems provide critical seconds that allow aircraft to maneuver, complete mission objectives, and exit lethal engagement zones.

Although the Pentagon announcement does not specify the system designation, the contract vehicle has been consistently associated with production of the ALE-70 radio frequency countermeasures family. This capability is widely understood to consist of a launcher and reel assembly integrated into the aircraft, deploying a fiber-optic tethered decoy equipped with an RF transmitter. Controlled by the aircraft’s electronic warfare management system, the decoy emits tailored waveforms that mimic or exaggerate the radar signature of the host aircraft, drawing enemy missile seekers away from the fighter itself.

From a tactical perspective, towed RF decoys are optimized for endgame defense. Once deployed, the decoy trails behind the aircraft at a controlled distance, presenting a more attractive target to radar-guided missiles than the aircraft’s own signature. By exploiting seeker logic and tracking algorithms, the decoy can cause the missile to home on the false target rather than the aircraft. If damaged or tactically compromised, the decoy can be severed and replaced, turning an inbound missile shot into a manageable expendable cost instead of an aircraft loss.

The importance of this procurement for the Navy lies in the changing character of the air threat environment. Potential adversaries now field dense, layered air defense networks with frequency-agile radars, networked sensors, and advanced guidance modes designed to counter traditional jamming. Even low-observable aircraft can be forced into higher-risk conditions when operating with open weapon bays, external stores, or in complex strike formations. As a result, the Navy emphasizes layered self-protection, combining signature management, onboard electronic warfare, and offboard countermeasures to break the kill chain at multiple points.

This layered concept is particularly relevant to the Navy and Marine Corps F-35 community. The aircraft’s integrated electronic warfare suite provides threat detection, geolocation, and onboard jamming, but the towed RF decoy adds a crucial offboard effect that can be employed when onboard measures alone are insufficient. In high-end combat scenarios, the ability to combine onboard electronic attack with a physically separated RF source significantly complicates an enemy missile’s targeting solution.

The January 2026 contract modification also reflects continuity rather than a one-off purchase. The Navy has already exercised previous options under the same contract to procure additional radio frequency countermeasures, extending production timelines and sustaining industrial capacity. The addition of 1,248 more units extends deliveries into 2029, ensuring that operational squadrons, training units, and war reserve stocks remain adequately supplied as fleet demand grows.

The substantial FMS funding portion underscores the role of these systems in coalition airpower. Allied fighter forces operating alongside U.S. Navy and Air Force aircraft face the same modern radar-guided missile threats and require interoperable survivability solutions. Standardizing advanced RF countermeasures across partner fleets enhances combined operational planning and strengthens collective deterrence in contested regions.

Finally, the classification of much of this funding under ammunition procurement accounts is revealing. The Navy treats radio frequency countermeasures as consumables that must be stocked, expended in training, and replenished for sustained combat operations. In an era defined by missile proliferation and increasingly sophisticated air defenses, this contract is not simply about buying electronic equipment. It is about preserving freedom of maneuver for carrier-based aviation and ensuring that U.S. and allied fighter aircraft can survive long enough to fight, strike, and return.